Malala in Lalaland

Two aspects of Malala Yousafzai’s speech delivered to a packed House of Commons April 12 were notable.

The first was her failure to mention Stephen Harper, let alone thank the former prime minister who was behind the move to grant her honorary Canadian citizenship.

But it was what Malala said about Muslims and Islam that was both inaccurate and lacking in total honesty.

Referring to the 2014 killing of Canadian soldier Cpl. Nathan Cirillo by Muslim radical Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, Malala said: “The man who attacked Parliament Hill called himself a Muslim — but he did not share my faith. … I am a Muslim and I believe that when you pick up a gun in the name of Islam and kill innocent people, you are not a Muslim anymore.”

The problem is Malala’s words, while eloquent, are in conflict with the reality of today, and incompatible with 1,400 years of Islamic history.